The gourmet filling in these hot tamales carried a particular strong kick as that white powder turned out to be cocaine.

A total of seven ounces, which depending on its purity carries an average street value of $2,000 an ounce, was recovered Aug. 20 from the box of 200 tamales, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said. The secret powder ingredient, which comes from the coca plant indigenous to South America, landed the cook in jail.

After the drug was seized, the 46-year-old man - whose name was not released - was arrested and turned over to Houston Police to be charged.

The traveler had initially failed to disclose the tamales on his written declaration while being processed through custom's at Houston's largest airport. He was then selected for additional screening, where suspicious officers uncovered the cocaine-laced tamales.

This case involving the hot tamales is just one of the many means smugglers use to foil inspectors from stashing illegal drugs into hollowed out wooden legs to taping drug bags to the backs of a painting of Jesus, reports show.